Improvement in curtain-cord tighteners



E. c. BYAM. CURTAIN'CORDLTIGHTENER.

No. {92,974, Patented J'u1y10.1877

NVPETERS. PNDTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. U c- O. BYA M, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN .,CURTAlN-CORD TIGHTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 192,974, dated July 10, 1877,- application filed April 9, 1877.

'following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference-being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a window,

showing my improvement applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are side views, showing the two ends of the roller and their connecting parts. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the cordholders. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same.

My improvement relates to balanced curtains, also to curtains which are adjustable bodily to difl'erent positions over the window to shade any portion desired.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully described and definitely claimed.

A representsthe window. B is the curtainroller, and O is thecurtain. The curtain-roller is suspended by two cords, a a at opposite ends, which pass up through eyebolts b b, or over suitable pulleys or other bearings. The cord a, after it has passed through the eyebolt, is carried horizontally across the window and passed through the eyebolt on the other side,'and here the two cords are attached together or formed into one length, a, which passes down within reach of the operator. By seizing this end he can raise or lower the curtain-roller bodily to any position, and the curtain can thus be made to shade any part of the window. The drawing shows the roller as being let down a little below the top of the win dow, and the curtain as being partially unrolled.. The eyebolts may be placed either on the outside or the inside of the window-casing, as necessity may require.

cis the cord for rolling and unrolling the curtain. It winds upon the spool d, which may either be turned from'the body of the roller, or made of metal and attached to, the roller.

D and D are the two bearings at. the opposite ends of the roller, which sustain the roller, and are connected with the cords a a, so as to be drawn up and let down. The connection with the roller is made by headed screws ff, which pass through holes in the bearings into the ends of the roller. In the right-hand bearing D a bayonet-slot, f, is formed, connecting with the screw hole or socket. and opening outwardat thefrontedge, so that the roller-journal may be inserted or removed without Withdrawin g the screwi'rom the end of the roller. Each of these bearings D D has a lug, g, projecting from its back side, which rests and bears against the window-casing, and serves as a guide to throw the curtain-roller out or away from the win dow, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The projection is but slight, as the design is simply to keep the roller from rubbing as it passes up and down. The bearing D on the left-hand side of the window has a slot, h, through which passes the cord a 7 E E are catches on opposite sides of the window, which serve to receive and hold the cords a 0. These catches are of peculiar construction. They have a base portion, 11, which rests against the wall, and is secured thereto by a screw. The top of this base portion is notched at the top, as shown at is, leaving a space between it and the wall to receive the cord, and the top is curved to retain the cord in position, as indicated in Fig. 4.. The lower portion 1 is carried outward and'downward, and in this is made a wedge-shaped, elongated opening, 171., large at the outer end and contracted to a point at the inner end. The slot on the under side is beveled from the top downward, as shown at p in the cross-section, Fig. 5, by which means the cord a which rests. therein, is prevented from being cut or abraded when drawn upward by the Weight of the roller. The catches also have a hole, a, near the top. The cord a passes downward into the notch k, thence outward through the hole n, and thence down vertically through the slot m, as clearly shown.

The operation is as follows: To raise or lower the curtain-roller the cord at is seized by the operator below the catch E and drawn outward from its hold in the slot m, and then drawn down, or allowed to rise, as the case may be. When the roller isin proper position the cord is dropped and re-engageswith the slot automatically, by having a weighted tassel ET ime.

at the end, which draws it into the narrow end OffithQJSlQt m, The beyeled bottom pprc ventscutting or wearing of thcicord when it engages, as before described, The drawing of the cord into the slot is assisted by the back-ward passage of the cord through the hole n. making a' sharp turn, just abovethe...

slot. The other cordc for rolling andunrolling the curtain is operated in the same manner, automatically re-engaging; when dropped by the operator. When the spool and bearings at the ends of the roller are made of metal the. journalsjmay be cast solid with said bearings, and be used in place of the screws f f, before described. Also, in large windows reaching to the floor, thecord 0 may be looped up or hungto hooks attached to the casing, to prevent it from resting on the floor when the roller is lowered. The edge of the bearing I), may also be turned inward over the, edge of the spool 01 to prevent the cord from ,running 011' by reason of its angular position in connecting with the catch E. v

I do not claim, broadly, a cord-holder of angular form, standing outward, and provided with a wedge-shaped slot to retain the cord;

neither-(led claim, 'broadly, aghangfi r having gefootror bearing resting against 1 the casin g In a curtain fixture sustained by cords a a}.,a th e angular holder, E constructed at its top with the notched offset k, with a semicircular opening in the back to admit the cord, at hole, -,'n, to allow the .cordto pass outward, and a wedge-shaped slot, m, in the lower projecting portion, with its angular end standing pwa llow enema. ass downw through the same, the whole arrangedas set forth, so that the cord forms a friction-loop on the outside of the holder and engages with the slot by its own weight as shown and described, and for. thepurpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my nameinthe presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EBER G. BEAM;

Witnesses R. F. Oseoon, f J LE- 

